"Long ago, the Birds had no songs. Only Man could sing..." The Good Spirit decided that Birds should also have songs, and said that the Birds should fly as high as they could: "When you can fly no higher, you will find your song." The little hermit thrush secretly hides on the eagle, and flies highest; but, the thrush is so ashamed of cheating that it never shows itself. Sometimes, however, "he cannot restrain himself, and he must sing his beautiful song.

Gorgeous painted illustrations show the People, the Good Spirit, and most of all, the Birds. ( )

In traditional story telling form, this tale makes a lovely read-aloud.

At one time, only humans could sing. Birds would sit by and listen, wishing that they too could produce such lovely tunes. When the Great Spirit walks across the landscape, he notices the birds' desire and creates a contest, allowing them to have the chance to gain the most beautiful song of all. But there's one little bird, which is disappointed. Unless the poor Hermit Thrush comes up with a plan, it knows it doesn't have a chance.

It's always interesting and fun to discover myths from other cultures, and the Mohawk is one which lays close to home. The tale in this book is one, which is entertaining and intriguing enough to draw listeners in. The Hermit Thrush is an underdog, and young listeners will wonder how the small bird can pull of his biggest wish while rooting for him the entire time. The story is written in a way, which listeners can easily understand while still holding tight to a more traditional, story form. It isn't overly wordy, but sticks to the point to keep boredom away. I can see this one as making a very nice read-aloud.

The illustrations offer many details and tons of opportunity for listeners to gaze at and study on their own. The birds are depicted with enough true-to-life accuracy to keep them very recognizable. But what I truly enjoy is the attention paid to historic details—who the Mohawk people were and how they lived. It's not set on center stage, but rather shown. And this offers a great opportunity for guardians or adults sharing the read to dive deeper into the Mohawk culture...without interfering with the tale, while reading it. Anyone wanting to introduce young readers to the Mohawks or open up discussions in this direction, will definitely find this book a treat.

I received an ARC and found this tale interesting and a wonderful way to introduce listeners to the Mohawks. ( )